Device for resiliently positioning demountable bodies



Feb. 16, 1937. NORBOM 2,070,613

DEVICE FOR RESILIENTLY POSITIONING DEMOUNTABLE BODIES Filed Aug. 22, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l flaw, 3M R /TM/ Feb. 16, 1937. R. A. NORBOM DEVICE FOR RESILIENTLY POSITIONING DEMOUNTABLE BODIES Filed Aug. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Patented Feb. 16, 1937 UNE'E'EB STA? DEVECE FQR RESILHEN'ELY POSITIONING DEMQUNTABLE BODIES Application August 22,

20 Claims.

This invention relates to demountable truck bodies or freight containers adapted to be carried interchangeably on a hi hway truck or trailer and another vehicle, especially a railway car. In the inter-city transportation of package freight, it has been found very eiiicient to load the freight into demountable bodies, after which such loaded bodies are placed on a highway truck or trailer, transported to a rail head, lifted and deposited on suitable anchorages on a railway car. The loaded body is then transported by the railway car to another city, and then transferred to a highway truck or trailer for ultimate delivery.

In the operation of railway cars, there are longitudinal buffing and tugging strains which tend to shift the load in the bodies or bodies themselves longitudinally, and may at times become so severe as to cause injury to the contents or to the body, by reason of the inertia impact of the load against the body ends, and may even tear the body loose from the anchorages. To obviate this difficulty it has been proposed to mount the. anchorage of the railway car or the body in such manner that it may shift longitudinally, and to oppose such shifting by coiled compression springs on opposite sides of the anchorage.

It is an object of my invention to simplify the yielding anchorage arrangement and reduce the initial 'cost thereof. It is a further object of the invention to introduce an element of friction in addition to the resilient resistance to movement, with the result that the body is more firmly held against trembling or shifting for small shocks, but at the same time may yield when necessary.

The anchorages preferably comprise coacting projections and sockets, one member of which is carried by the vehicle and the other by the body. Now in accomplishing the above objects, I form the socket member by leaf springs held at their ends and bowed apart intermediately to provide an opening adapted to receive the projection carried by the other member of the combination. The result is that these springs at once form the socket and the resilient resistant and operate to insure an effective positioning of the body on the vehicle and as a self-centering device for a body not accurately located, and then will yield longitudinally in case of severe blows. The weight of the body being supported by engagement of its sills on the vehicle, there results friction between the body and the vehicle tending to prevent movement, and this friction may be augmented by friction between the spring socket and a rub plate, which may conveniently form the base for carrying the projection.

1934, Serial No. 740,973

I prefer to carry my spring socket members by the body in which case they are mounted within the floor frame and beneath the floor of the demountable body, and hence, do not restrict in any manner the carrying capacity of the container'or 5 provide objectionable obstructions on the railway car, but are effective to prevent the transmission of sudden blows from the car to the body.

My invention includes the broad idea of the socket forming spring members, and more particularly the provision of a pair of leaf springs held at their ends and separated intermediately to provide a somewhat elongated but restrictive opening for the reception of the projection. The feature of carrying the projection by a rub plate which the adjacent edges of the springs may engage is also included within my invention. Other characteristics included within the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a railway car equipped with anchoring projections and a body mounted thereon partly broken away to disclose one of the anchorages on the railway car; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the body; Fig. 3 is a plan of the complete anchorage device being a cross-section through the floor frame of the demountable body and showing also the projection carried by a vehicle beneath such body; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the demountable body and the adjacent portion of the vehicle floor, the view being alongside of the anchorage device; Fig. 5 is a detail of the means for attaching the ends of the spring socket, being a vertical cross-section, for instance on the line 55 on Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1, A is to be taken as indicating an ordinary railway flat car on which demountable bodies, preferably two or more, may stand in longitudinal alignment; B indicates the body itself, which may be of my standard construction having a fioor frame composed of longitudinal side sills 22, end sills b l and internal longitudinal and transverse beams, shown in Fig. 2, and some of them designated b2. Secured to such floor frame are side walls 123 and end walls, each of which may be equipped with double-hinged doors such as shown at 275. The side and end walls carry a suitable roof bl and the body sides are provided with suitably braced load attaching hooks 128 by which the body may be lifted for transfer from one vehicle to another. Resting on the floor frame within the body walls are suitable layers of flooring b9. My shock absorbing anchorages are mounted beneath such flooring and. are secured by members of the floor frame as hereinafter described.

The socket anchorage of this invention, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, comprises two leaf springs ID with their wide dimensions facing each other and with their end portions rigidly held, the intermediate portions being free and bowed outwardly to provide an open space between them which is restricted in opposite directions. More specifically, the space is bounded by four ogee curves. As shown these curves are cosinusoids developed through 360. The spring-leaves II] are reinforced on their outer sides by other leaves H, which lead from their curved portions to the fiat portions and these leaves l l are'shown as further reinforced by substantially straight leaves !2; All of these leaves stand on edge, that is, their width extends vertically, and their contacting end portions are attached to the body.

the endsare embraced by a hollow block or rectangular band 20, which is preferably made of malleable casting.

steel shaped to size, heated and shrunk on the spring leaves. On opposite sides of the box-like member thus produced are a pair of angle clips 2|, which are secured to the member and the leaves by through rivets 22. V

The construction described makes a selfcontained spring socket extending for considerable length, terminating at its ends in outward flanges '24 adapted to ready attachment to the body floor frame. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4,11 have provided within the channel space of the end sill bi a reversely faced channel member 26, which is secured to the end sill. The adjacent .flanges Z of thespring socket abut the web of this channel 26 and are effectively secured thereto by bolts 21 and nuts 28. At the other end, the angle flanges 24 make a similar engagement with the web of a reinforcing angle 29 bearing against one of the cross sills b2, bolts 21 and nuts 28 securing the parts together.

It will'be seen that the spring socket is simply constructed and readily attached to the .demountable body and may be readily replaced in case of breakage.

The projection which cooperates with the spring socket described is shown at'3ll in 'Figs. 1, 3, and 4. Such projection is cylindrical for the most part but has 'a conical top 3|. It is carried by an elongated plate 32, which is preferably provided-with depressed seats 33 having openings for the reception of bolts 34 to secure the member to the vehicle floor. The projection' may readily be made hollow, as indicated in Fig. 4, and be formedintegral with the plate 32, and may, if desired, be a steel forging or a With such construction as above described when the body is placed on' the vehicle, the body sills rest on the vehicle floor and the main springs IU of the socket frictionally embrace the projection ,30. The lower edges of the springs may also have a frictional engagement with the rub plate 32. Due to the restrictive characterof the opening l between the spring leaves, the cylindrical projection occupying the opening willbe effective to hold the body in position laterally and longitudinally, and the fri'c; tional engagement of the body sills with the vehicle, supplemented by the frictional engagement of the springs with the cooperating mem ber on the vehicle, will further resist movement accurately placed body.

body to shift longitudinally to take up the shock in case of abnormal buffing or tugging stress.

My peculiar spring socket is also of advantage in enabling the ready seatingrof the body as it is lowered into position without requiring exact registration between the socket member and projection-that is to say, if the body is longitudinally out of registration in one direction or the other a short distance, the restrictedportion of the opening l5 comes over the conical top of the projection and the spring leaves engaging such projection slidedown on the same, due to the weight of the body, and

cam the body longitudinally until. the proper registration is obtained. Likewise, if the body is out of registration laterally, the engagement of one or the other spring leaves with the conical top will tend to force the lower end of the spring outwardly and toe the upper edge inwardly so that a slightly conical: socket is obtained which effects the lateral position.

It will be seen that my spring socket, in addition' to the advantage of being a shock abto employ also a pair of intermediate positioning members as indicated at Illa in Fig. 2. Such additional members are mounted between cross beams 132 of the body floor frame in the central region. are designed to prevent any possible displacement of the body if there should be such 9.

These intermediate anchorages.

vertical jolt as would lift the body at one-end or the other above the vehicle projection sufficiently to cause the sockets at that end to clear the projections. ages at the other end would form the fulcrum in engagement to maintain the body in proper registration even though the sockets of the distant ends might clear the corresponding fixed projections. This is simply a safety provision for an abnormal condition which would not often occur in railway transportation but is more liable in truck transportation; for example, if a truck wheel should drop into a man-hole in a city street.

In case of such a jolt, anchor-' .45 about which the y would rise and the 54* centrally located anchorages would r i 1 It will be understood from the description heretofore given that my shock absorbing sockets maybe constructed comparatively cheaply and may be very readily put in place, thus being adapted for use withbodies which are shipped in a knocked-down form. They provide effective sockets. and coact with the projections and rub plates of the companion members to introduce desired friction against shifting. At the-same time they allow a sufficient amount of longitudinal shifting to cause a very effective shock absorbing action. Finally, this spring leaf socket enables the more ready placement of the body inposition and effects a self-centering action for an in- Iclaimr V 1. The combination of a vehicle and a demountable container adapted. tovbe. carried there by of an anchoragedevice comprisingaprojecting member and a socket one of which is carried by the vehicle and the otherby the demountable container, said socket comprising spring leaves placed on edge and having their inner faces adapted to engage the projecting member at their center portions and thereby cushion relative horizontal movement, said leaves being connected together and to their carrier only adjacent their ends.

2. The combination, with a vehicle and a demountable container adapted to rest thereon, of an anchorage device comprising two members, one secured to the vehicle and the other to the base of the container, one of said members comprising a projection and the other comprising a relatively rigid portion secured to a support and a resilient socket portion formed to receive the projection and adapted to change its shape in case of horizontal movement of the projection within the socket.

3. The combination of a vehicle and demountable body adapted to be carri d thereby, and an anchorage device having one member attached to the vehicle and the other to the body, one

, member of such anchorage device comprising a rigid projection and the other member comprising spring elements adapted to embrace the projection while allowing movement thereof and means to secure said spring elements in place.

4. An anchorage for positioning demountable containers on vehicles comprising a projection and a pair of spring leaves bowed apart to provide a socket to receive the projection, and means spaced from said socket to secure said anchorage to a support.

5. An anchorage for positioning demountable containers on vehicles comprising a cylindrical projection on one member and a pair of spring leaves with their wide dimensions facing each other and spread apart to provide a socket to receive the projections and means remote from said socket to attach said anchorage to a support on the other member.

6. A device for anchoring a container on a vehicle comprising a projection on one of said members and a socket to receive it on the other member, said socket being made of a pair of spring leaves spaced apart intermediately, said leaves approaching each other in each direction beyond the projection to provide a restricted resilient space in which the projection may move and means for attaching said approaching portions of the leaves to the device carrying the socket.

7. A device for anchoring a container on a vehicle comprising a projection on one of said members and a socket to receive it on the other member, said socket being made of a pair of spring leaves with their sides facing each other and spaced apart intermediately, said leaves approaching each other in ogee curves beyond the projection to provide a restricted resilient space in which the projection may move, said leaves being attached to said other member remote from said intermediate part.

8. A device for anchoring a container on a vehicle comprising a projection on one of said members and a socket to receive it on the other member, said socket being made by outwardly bowed portions of a pair of spring leaves, reinforces for said leaves and attaching devices carried by said other member for the leaves and reinforces spaced from said socket.

9. A device for anchoring a container to a vehicle comprising a projection adapted to be secured to one of said members and a socket therefor adapted to be secured tothe other member, said socket comprising a pair of spring leaves having their end portions parallel to each other and their intermediate portions bowed outwardly to provide a yielding receptacle, means for clamping the end portions together, and means for attaching such end portions to the device which is to carry the socket.

1 0. A device for anchoring a container to a vehicle comprising a projection on one of said members and a spring socket therefor on the other, said socket being made of a pair of leaf springs having their end portions parallel, their intermediate portions bowed outwardly to provide a resilient receptacle, reinforcing leaves on the outer sides of the spring leaves, and a strap secured to said other member and embracing the end portions of the spring leaves and reinforcing leaves.

11. A device for anchoring a container to a vehicle comprising a projection on one of said members and a spring socket therefor on the other, said socket being made of leaf springs having their end portions parallel and their intermediate portions bowed outwardly to provide a receptacle with resilient sides, a strap embracing the end portions of the spring leaves, and. angle clips secured to the embracing strap and furnishing means for attachment of the device,

to said other member.

12. The combination of a demountable body having a floor frame, leaving a space beneath the floor, a. socket adapted to receive a positioning member and carried in such space and compr' ing a pair of spring leaves standing on edge and int-ermediately bowed outwardly to receive positioning means for the body, and means for attaching the end portions of the spring leaves to members in the floor frame of the body.

13. The combination of a demountable body having a floor frame, leaving a space beneath the floor, a socket carried in such space and comprising a pair of spring leaves outwardly bowed away from each other to provide a resilient receptacle for a projection, reinforcing leaves on the outer side of the spring leaves and attaching devices secured to the spring leaves at their adjacent ends and to the reinforcing leaves and to members in the floor frame of the body.

14. The combination of a demountable body having a floor and a floor frame with transverse beams, a spring socket secured to said beams in a space beneath the floor, said socket comprising two spring leaves intermediately spaced apart and having end portions parallel with each other, reinforcing leaves engaging the spring leaves, a reinforcing strap surrounding the spring leaves and reinforcing leaves at the adjacent ends of the leaves, angle clips on the outer sides of the straps, through rivets passing through the angle clips, straps and spring leaves to hold said parts together, and means for attaching the angle clips to transverse beams of the floor frame, said socket being adapted to receive positioning means for said body.

15. An anchorage device for a container when mounted on a vehicle comprising a plate adapted to be secured to one of such members and carrying a projection, a socket adapted to be secured to the other member to receive the projection made of a pair of spring leaves outwardly bowed apart from each other to receive the projection, the lower edges of such leaves being adapted to engage the face of said plate and means adjacent the .endsof thesprings to se- "cure thesame to said other member.

16. Ananchorage device for a demountable container when mounted on a vehicle consisting of a socket adapted to be carried by one'of such members and comprising a pair of spring leaves intermediately bowed apart to provide a resilient opening adapted to receive a projection but restricted on opposite sides thereof, and a rub plate adapted to be secured to the other of such members and extending lengthwise of the spring leaves and having a face adapted to be'engaged by edges of the leaves, an upstanding projection on the rub plate adapted to enter the central portion of the space between the spring leaves and means to secure the end portions of the leaves tothe member having the socket.

6-17. The combination of a vehicle and a demountable container adapted'to be carried there-- by of an anchorage device comprising a projecting member and a socket, one of'which is carried by the vehicle and the other by the demountable container, the projecting member having a rub plate at its base and the socket comprising spring leaves placed on edge and having inner 'faces adapted to engage the projection at their mountable body to a vehicle carrying the same comprising a plate adapted .to be mounted on one of such members and carrying a cylindrical pro- .jection' with a conical top, a socket adapted to be mounted on the other member to receive the' projection made of a pair of spring leaves placed on edge with their end portions in contact and attached to such other member and their intermediate portions bowed apart from each other to provide a resilient receptacle to receive the projection, the lower edges of such'leaves being adapted to bear on the plate; 7 V

19. A socket for a shock absorbing anchorage for a demountable container when mounted ona vehicle, adapted to receive a' positioning member,

and comprising a pair of ,spring'leaves having their wide dimensions facing each' other and their" end portions parallel to each other and rig idly held together, and their intermediate portions bowed outwardly and having some freedom outward bow being substantially a cosinusoid de-' veloped through 360.

2-0. A socket comp-rising a pair of cooperating 7 spring leaves adapted to be carried by a support and intermediately bowed apart in cosinal curves of movement to provide a resilient socket, each to provide an opening restricted in opposite, dl-

rections, said socket being adapted to yieldingly receive a projection which; with the socket, may constitute a shock absorbing anchorage between a demountable container and a vehicle.

RAGNAR A. NORBOM. 

